Harley-Davidson Press Release
In mid-August, Harley-Davidson rolled out a press release (on the Canadian news wire) to announce the launch of a global campaign that embraces “The Freedom of The Open Road.”
It’s part of a 10-year global strategy to build the next generation of Harley riders and the new brand platform is “All for Freedom, Freedom for All” which comes to life with videos containing user-generated and filmed content that shares moments of the open road by riders past and present.
The ambitious campaign goal is to increase Harley’s brand relevance and inspire those “sleeping license holders” to experience the same freedom that all current Harley riders feel with the wind in the face and ultimately to purchase a motorcycle.
The Harley-Davidson marketing group is using the #FindYourFreedom hashtag to generate social media awareness.
It’s common knowledge that when using a hashtag, you are categorizing your post and is viewed as a valuable tool when marketing your brand. The objective of course would be to find a hashtag that has never been used previously and one that would really set the campaign apart from all the other social media noise. However, there is another large company with an equally large brand that is already using the #FindYourFreedom hashtag with an associated marketing campaign.
They spell it: J E E P — you know, the company with an adventurous lifestyle that requires an adventurous vehicle!
While you can’t legally own a hashtag, the marketing 101 manual suggests that you chose one that people will associate with your brand, by leveraging a distinctive phrase or word associated with your company and messaging that marketing execs would, at best, like to see go viral or, at worst, contribute to the marketing campaign in a very positive way.
Think about it. Harley-Davidson just launched a multi-year campaign and is encouraging motorcycle fans to join the social media conversation of a larger Jeep fan base!
The marketing folks may have actually “muddied” the Harley-Davidson brand or made it vulnerable by this hashtag gone wrong.
Photos courtesy of Harley-Davidson and Jeep.
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